Continuous heating-furnace.



PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

J. REULEAUX. CONTINUOUS HEATING FURNACE.

=APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1904.

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J. REULEAUX. CONTINUOUS HEATING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1904.

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gumzwfoz fmwi f i Witnuou Jbsgy Rewleam UNITED STATES Patented February14, 1905.

- PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER LAUGHLIN, OF

SEIVICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTINUOUS HEATING-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,697, dated February14, 1905.

Application filed septemher 21, 1904. Serial No. 225,393.

To all 11/71/0111, it may concern.-

skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

As is well known in the art, prior to the invention covered by LettersPatent of the United States No. 588,702, issued to Alexander Laughlinand myself August 24, 1897, considerable difficulty was experienced inthe heating of billets in continuous furnaces because of the billetsbeing cooled at those points in contact with the water-cooled pipes ortubes constituting the bearings for the billets in their passage throughthe furnace. This defeet was remedied according to said invention bypassing the billets onto hearths, where they were allowed to remain fora short time before being removed or discharged from the furnace, theheat of the hearth serving to cause the black or chilled spots todisappear and the hearth itself being protected as against excessiveheating and consequent softening.

The primary object of the present invention is to allow the hotgases tocome in direct con one end of the furnace to the other, said bearingsextending through and beyond the hearth and constituting the means foreffecting the automatic discharge of the billets after the mannercontemplated by the invention patented to the said Laughlin and myselfby re issued Letters Patent No. 11,666, dated May 31, 1898.

Further objects are to insure the thorough heating of the hearthandbillets and to enable worn portions of the hearth to be readilyremoved and replaced.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a furnace constructed in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is ahorizontal sectional view on line2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isatransverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of aslight modification.

The form of furnace shown in the drawings is constructed after themannercomprehended by the above-noted patents, ldesignating the bed ofthe furnace, having raised longitudinal supportsQand a transverse pier 3for the bearings A for the billets, such bearings beingextendedlongitudinally of the combustion-chamber from the charging-opening 5 tothe discharge-opening 6, the arrangement of the bearings being such asto provide for the automatic discharge of the billets from the point ofhighest heat in accordance with the invention covered by said reissuedLetters Patent No. 11,666. These bearings are composed of hollow tubesor pipes through which water may circulate from end to end, and thepipes are carried downwardly on an incline over the point of highestheatthat is to say, over the gas-inlet port 7.

8 designates a hearth extending transversely of the furnace,intersecting and itself intersected by the bearings A and over which thebillets are designed to travel as a line thereof is pushed through thefurnace by the pushing mechanism, (indicated at The bearings in theirpassage through the hearth occupy such relation to the top surfacethereof as to insure the automatic removal of the billets from thebearings as they are pushed over the hearth, spaces being left withinthe hearth to permit the hot gases to contact directly with the coolportions of the billets, and thus effectively remove spots and secureuniformity in the heating of the billets at every point. The bearingsthemselves are shown as being bent slightly downwardly from the side ofthe hearth at which they enter onto the other side thereof, from whencethey are inclined, as

' slabs that the bearings4 are passed, the spaces therefor formingpockets for the bearings and openings for the admission of the gasesagainst the under sides of the billets. These slabs are mounted onametallic base 13, with which they are interlocked as againstdisplacement by the billets in their passage thereover. In Fig. 1 I haveshown the hearth-slabs as having sockets in their under sides toaccommodate a spline 14:, extended longitudinally of the base, while inFig. 1 1 have shown each slab as having at the receiving side of thehearth a depending spline or tongue 15 for engaging a shouldered cut-outin the base. By either means the slabs are held in place, since thestrain of the billets thereon is transverse to the interlocking with thebase. Furthermore, in the event of injury to any portion of the hearthit is only necessary to remove one or more slabs without disturbing theothers instead, as heretofore, of having to provide an entirely newhearth. The base 13 is cooled by water circulating through pipes 16.

The hearth is shown as located on a bridge wall or pier 17, formed withone or more transverse openings 18 to permit of the passage of the gasesbeneath as well as above the hearth, a continuous flow of gases beingmaintained beneath the line of billets clear to the discharge-flue 19,leading to the stack. Intermediate pier 17 and the gas-inlet port 7 is acinder-pocket 20.

The advantages of my present invention are manifest to those skilled inthe art. Although I have shown the bearings as passing through thehearth on lines angular to the top flat surface of the latter, yet it ismanifest that the same results may be obtained by passing the bearingsthrough the hearth on straight horizontal lines and having the uppersurface of the hearth inclined from the discharging side thereof towardthe receiving side. (See Fig. 1.) In each instance I secure clearopenings for the gases within the hearth beneath those portions of thebillets previously in contact with the water-cooled bearings.

The improvements herein described are readily applicable to forms orconstructions of heating-furnaces other than those shown. Likewise it isnot my intention to limit the invention to any particular constructionof the hearth.

I claim as my invention* 1. A furnace having in combination therewith,bearings arranged longitudinally there of, a hearth intersecting saidbearings and onto which the billets are received from the bearings, saidhearth having spaces therein in line with the bearings for the admissionof the gases against the under sides of the billets on the hearth, andmeans for pushing the billets over the bearings and hearth.

2. A furnace having in combination therewith, bearings arrangedlongitudinally from end to end thereof, a hearth intersecting saidbearings and over which the billets are designed to pass, means fordisengaging the billets from the bearings as they travel over thehearth, means for permitting the gases, while the billets are on thehearth, to engage those portions of the billets previously in contactwith the bearings, and means for pushing the billets over the bearingsand hearth.

3. A furnace having in combination therewith, bearings arrangedlongitudinally thereof, a hearth intersected by said bearings at anangle to the top surface thereof, said h'earth having open-top spacesfor the bearings, and means for pushing the billets over the bearingsand hearth, the relative angularity of the intersecting portions of thebearings to the top surface of the hearth serving to cause'the billetsto be removed from the bearings as they travel over the hearth.

4. A furnace having in combination therewith, bearings arrangedlongitudinally thereof, a hearth intersected by said bearings and havingspaces through which said bearings are passed at an angle to the top ofthe hearth, and means for pushing the billets over the bearings andhearth.

5. A furnace having in combination therewith, bearings arrangedlongitudinally thereof, a fiat top hearth intersected by said bearingsand having spaces through which said bearings are extended on an inclinefrom the receiving to the discharge side of the hearth, and means forpushing the billets over the bearings and hearth.

6. A furnace having in combination therewith, bearings arrangedlongitudinally thereof, a hearth intersecting said bearings and ontowhich the billets are received from the bearings, said hearth beingcomposed of a base, a series of removable slabs and means forinterlocking said slabs and base to prevent the former from beingdisplaced by the billets, open-top spaces being formed between some ofsaid slabs to accommodate said bearings and admit gases against theunder sides of the billets on the hearth, and means for pushing thebillets over the bearings and hearth.

7. A furnace having in combination thereiO ing said bearings, and abridge-wall supporting said hearth having a transverse opening oropenings therein beneath the hearth forming passages for the gases.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib- 5 ing Witnesses.

JOSEF REULEAUX. Witnesses:

FRANCIS S. MAGUIRE, GEO. W. RIGHTMIRE.

